A reason to reconsider eating ultra-exotic sushi

A bad case of salmonella poisoning suffered by a 65-year old Honolulu who ate raw venison sushi is the first documented case of its kind in Hawai`i and offers a reminder to physicians (and their patients) that there are many potential local sources of food borne illness.

In the case, reported in the new edition of the Hawai`i Journal of Medicine and Public Health, the source of the illness is identified as venison, or deer meat, from the island of Lana`i.

“In Hawai‘i, it has long been known that certain animals and animal products have a higher propensity to carry salmonella, particularly Hawaiian hogs and chickens. However, a search of the literature did not find data to implicate the local deer population as a source for food borne illness,” according to the article by Cristian S. Madar, MD, Anthony P. Cardile, DO, Scott Cunningham, MD, Gil Magpantay, MD, and David Finger, MD.

“The ethnic and cultural diversity of Hawai`i affords a cuisine with ample opportunities to eat raw or undercooked food, including sushi, ceviche, oysters, and clams,” wrote the researchers. “Game meat, including deer on Lana`i, is readily available to hunters. Clinicians in Hawai`i should remain alert and aware of the potential local sources of food borne illness. The deer population of Hawai‘i can potentially harbor food borne pathogens. All persons should be reminded to thoroughly cook game meat and always adhere to safe food handling practices.”

In addition to the article "A Case of Salmonella Gastroenteritis Following Ingestion of Raw Venison Sashimi," the February issue of the journal includes a report of the first known case of an intestinal blockage attributed to the use of crystal methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine has the proven ability to cause cardiovascular disorders, including hypertension and heart damage from blocked blood flow. According to Terri L Carlson, DO, Timothy P. Plackett, DO, Ronald A. Gagliano, Jr., MD and Richard R. Smith, MD, authors of "Methamphetamine-Induced Paralytic Ileus," the discovery of an acute intestinal blockage had not been described before in medical literature. The victim was a 19-year old man, who was hospitalized for two days.

The Hawai`i Journal of Medicine & Public Health is a collaboration between the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa and the Hawai`i State Department of Health (DOH). Produced monthly, the scholarly journal provides scientific information with a focus on the unique multicultural and environmental aspects of the Hawaiian Islands and Pacific Rim region. The issues are available free, on line, at http://www.hjmph.org.

The editors of the Hawai`i Journal of Medicine & Public Health are Dr. S. Kalani Brady, an internal medicine physician with the Department of Native Hawaiian Health and Dr. Michael J. Meagher, a professor of radiology within the Department of Surgery at the UH Mānoa medical school.

Sponsors of the February issue of the journal are Hawaiʻi Pacific Regional Extension Center, Physicians Exchange of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi National Bank, and Access Information Management.